


The Santa Thing

by agentsimmons



Series: Average. Ordinary. Everyday. [6]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Adopted Children, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Domestic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Parents, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Domestic, Domestic Bliss, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gay Bruce Banner, Gay Tony Stark, Gen, Kid Fic, M/M, Parent Bruce Banner, Parent Tony Stark, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood, Science Boyfriends, Science Husbands, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 10:37:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13121985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentsimmons/pseuds/agentsimmons
Summary: Tony and Bruce take some of their kids to see Santa Claus.





	The Santa Thing

“Is dad going to freak out again when we see Santa?” Jake asked as they entered a local museum. The space was decked for the holidays and there were special exhibits and activities, including pictures with Santa and some of his reindeer.

Bruce barely held back a snort and glanced at Tony where he pushed Peter in his stroller at the other end of their line of children. Natasha was the only one of their kids missing as she'd jumped at the offer of a girl's weekend with Pepper and Jennifer.

“No, dad is not going to freak out again,” Tony protested with an exasperated huff.

The year before, Bruce had caught a stomach bug and he'd talked Tony into taking the kids to see Santa without him since Clint and Jake had been looking forward to it. In retrospect, Bruce should have realized that wasn't a good idea seeing as his husband had never been too fond of the jolly old elf, having had a bad experience once as a kid that he didn't like to talk about, but he hadn't expected Tony would have a full-blown panic attack since he'd never had one before.

"Because dad is going to hang out with Rudolph or hit the gift store while the rest of you see Santa," Tony announced then.

Bruce stopped in his tracks, causing the others to stop as well. He looked at Tony with a frown. His husband hadn't made any indication of this plan known to him prior to that moment. He opened his mouth to protest, but then thought of the three older kids.

"Hey, kids, how about you go look at that exhibit right there," he pointed to a nearby exhibit of scale models and elaborate dollhouses, "while your dads have a very quick grown up discussion. Steve, do you mind helping keep an eye on them?" he asked their eleven-year-old, trusting him. Steve shrugged and led the other two away, allowing Bruce to focus his attention back on Tony. "So, what? You just decided not to tell me ahead of time?"

Tony sighed. "Please, don't get mad. I don't want to ruin the day."

"Then you should have told me sooner," Bruce insisted, knowing he was being intentionally petulant about the matter.

"Right, I got that," Tony nodded, "and I'm sorry, but, honey, you and the kids will have more fun without me dragging the mood down."

"Tony, that's not true," Bruce assured him.

"It is," he replied.

Bruce suspected there might be more to it than that and decided the best response was to wait until Tony elaborated. It was a slightly manipulative thing to do, he knew, but Tony didn't enjoy prolonged silences and usually started talking quicker to fill them. He hoped that Peter's sudden fussiness, no doubt because his siblings had walked off and he was still strapped into his stroller, wouldn't deter that in any way.

"Okay, look, fine," Tony continued finally, "you want me to kill my pride a little, I will." Bruce furrowed his brow. "I'm still not really over last year."

"But you said—" Bruce started in surprise.

"I know what I said. I know," Tony interjected. "Again, the pride thing," he explained. "But it really rattled me, okay? It was dumb and I was dumb and it's crazy, but I just can't..." He shook his head. "Can't do it this year. I'm sorry."

"Hey," Bruce immediately felt guilty for pushing, "no, hey." He reached out and wrapped a hand around his husband's arm. "I wish you'd told me sooner, but I won't make you do something if it makes you that uncomfortable." He pushed back the knee-jerk spousal resentment that Tony didn't already know this. Then again, they both sometimes did things for each other that they didn't want to do, such is the art of compromise after all, so maybe Tony really had thought this would be one of those times.

"But you're disappointed," Tony said knowingly.

Bruce sighed. "Maybe a little," he admitted. "But only because it's Peter's first Christmas and I was hoping we could both get a picture with him like we did with the others." Tony's eyes widened and Bruce quickly added, "But I'm not trying to guilt you into doing this. We can figure something else out. Maybe we can pay Happy or someone else you're comfortable with to dress up for a picture at home," he suggested off the top of his head.

"That sounds even more frightening," Tony said with a laugh. Peter started whining even louder at being excluded from everything and reached up towards them. "See, Peter agrees with me."

Bruce rolled his eyes fondly and crouched down in front of the stroller. Peter immediately squealed and started reaching forward more aggressively. "Oh, does somebody want to get out?" Bruce asked him as he worked on undoing the belt that kept him in. Peter replied in his usual baby gibberish and Bruce nodded patiently. "I see," he said, when Peter stopped. "Well, your brothers are a little older than you, but you'll catch up soon enough." He hoisted him into his arms and stood up straight. "And then you'll be running all over the place too. Until then daddy will take you where you want to go. How's that sound?"

Peter just giggled in response and it made Bruce laugh too. He then looked at Tony and found his husband watching him with a besotted half-smile and adoring eyes. It was almost ridiculous how after all these years that look could make Bruce's cheeks warm and his stomach somersault, but it often did.

"So," he cleared his throat, "you want to get the kids and walk with us over there or just go do your own thing?"

Tony opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, Jake bounded up to them with a melodramatic, "Are you guys done talking yet? What if Santa has to go back to the North Pole or, or, to the mall or something? What if we miss him?"

Steve was right on his heel. "He ran off before I could stop him," he explained immediately in defense.

"Yeah, but you left me," Clint heckled. "Guess I'm not as important."

Bruce couldn't help it and chuckled, Tony following suit. "It's fine, Steve," he assured him. "And, Clint, don't be dramatic. You were ten feet away. We could still see you."

"Dad!!!!" Jake pestered again. Peter mimicked with something between a holler and "Dada" and bounced in Bruce's arms. Jake laughed and played with Peter's dangling feet. "You agree with me, don't you, Peter?"

Bruce smiled, remembering Tony's near exact words and looked at his husband. "Peter seems to agree with everyone." He then gave an exaggerated sigh. "Alright. Let's go see Santa Claus. Clint, please push your brother's stroller," he said before leaning towards Tony. "Wish us luck."

"Luck," Tony said with a smile as they shared a henpeck kiss. Tony then leaned down and kissed Peter's forehead and said, "Don't cry too much, Petey. Even if I think sitting on Santa's lap goes against everything stranger danger teaches us, Santa really is a very nice guy."

"Stop it," Bruce warned.

"And you kids report back to me if dad sits on Santa's lap too," Tony added, pointing at the kids in a mock-serious fashion while they looked between themselves in confusion.

"Oh god," Bruce rolled his eyes and turned away from his husband, "I'm done. Let's go get in line, kids."

He started to head that way with Clint, Jake, and Peter, but stopped when he realized Steve wasn't with them. He turned to see his oldest son looking back and forth between them and Tony. It was clear by his expression he was conflicted about something and it wasn't hard for Bruce to guess, even if it made him a little sad. Natasha hadn't taken photos for a couple of years and this was her first year not even tagging along on the outing. Thinking of both of his eldest children being thoroughly over "the Santa thing" was enough to make him hope selfishly he was wrong.

So he asked, "Are you okay, Steve?" He glanced quickly at Tony to see the same knowing look on his face.

"Yeah." Steve nodded and took a few steps forward only to stop again. "Actually..." He looked up with his baby blue eyes and asked him, "Can I stay with dad?"

Jake gasped. "You don't want to see Santa? Why not!?"

Bruce shifted Peter to his other hip and moved to set a hand on Steve's shoulder. "I understand. Nobody else your age visits Santa anymore do they?" Steve pursed his lips and subtly shook his head. Bruce sighed. "Well, I can't say I'm not a little sad you're growing up, but it's okay. I'm sure dad would love to spend some time just the two of you." He glanced at Tony with a sad smile.

Tony mirrored it before widening it as he placed a hand on Steve's other shoulder. "Absolutely."

 

* * *

 

"Hi, dad! Can you hear me?"

Tony pulled the receiver of the old payphone, that was connected to the one Steve was in on the other side of an exhibit featuring a look and feel of what 1930s and 40s America was like, away from his ear with a wince.

"Yep. Loud and clear there, buddy. Can you hear me?"

"Yeah," Steve answered. "But it's all muffled and static-y," he observed and Tony chuckled.

"Well, yeah. They didn't have HD quality sound in back then. Just like how the movies don't look the same as they do now."

"Wizard of Oz seemed kind of clear," Steve countered.

"That's because we watched the restored Blu-ray," Tony explained to his son. "They used modern tech to make it look better."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad I don't live in 1940 then," Steve said decidedly.

"Me too," Tony replied with a laugh.

"You wouldn't be my dad if I did," Steve added, taking Tony by surprise. "I..." His voice suddenly became very solemn. "And I wouldn't have two dads, would I?"

"I—" Tony felt a small punch to his gut and wasn't sure how to respond.

"Dad? Dad are you okay?"

Tony heard the click of Steve hanging up the phone and a moment later, Steve was standing outside the payphone booth Tony sat in. Tony slowly hung up the phone and opened the door. Steve was looking up at him with concern.

"You're right, Steve," Tony finally answered his question. "You wouldn't have two dads. Your dad and I... We probably wouldn't be together. And if we were, it... it wouldn't be easy."

Steve threw his arms around his waist and hugged him without warning. Tony hugged him back and looked around the room at the exhibit and its shiny representation of the past. There were mannequins depicting happy people and happy families, but none of those families looked like his.

"That would be terrible," Steve said, pulling away and looking up at him again.

"It would be." Tony nodded. He bit the corner of his bottom lip and then looked at his watch. "Hey, so, what would you say if we go join the others, hmm?" Steve furrowed his brow. "You don't have to take a picture if you don't want to, but I know it would make your dad really happy if him and me take a picture with Peter and, honestly, at the moment I can't think of a good reason why I shouldn't want that too. Are you okay with that? I mean, I'm having fun hanging out with you so—"

"It's okay," Steve interjected. His expression became sheepish. "I was going to ask you if you could take me back so I can take a picture too."

Tony blinked a few times, but then smiled. "I guess we both feel a little guilty for taking our happiness for granted, huh?" he asked as he led Steve out of the exhibit and towards the line for Santa, one hand on his back as they walked.

"Does taking for granted mean not being grateful?"

"Essentially," Tony answered. "Sometimes we don't think about how things could be different, maybe not a good different either, so we forget to be grateful for the things that we have and the people we love. It's like how your dad and I tell you kids we love you all the time. You should know by now that we do, but it's good to tell you any chance we get because, well," he paused, not trying to become too morbid, "because you never know if one day you'll wish you'd said it more often, you know?"

"I think I understand," Steve said with a nod. "I realized I could have been somebody else's kid and I'm glad I'm not so I want to take a picture now because I'm happy I can. But before I was taking for granted that I'm lucky to be able to at all?"

"You've got it, ace," Tony said, chest swelling a little with pride. "But, you know," he added, "you don't have to take the picture just because you think you need to prove you're grateful. Your dad and I understand that at some point this just isn't fun or cool anymore because you know Santa isn't real. And we also know you love us and are happy to be our kid."

Steve didn't say anything for a minute and Tony suspected he was debating his options. "But it would make dad happy?" he asked finally.

"Yeah, it probably would," Tony answered truthfully. "But your comfort and happiness comes first, Steve. That makes him happy too."

"Well," Steve said in a slow, pondering tone, "I think maybe sometimes his comfort and happiness should come first."

Tony looked down at him with a wide smile, the pride in his chest swelling all the more. "You know, Steve, I definitely agree with you."

Steve smiled back and their pace quickened just a little as they continued the trek towards the rest of their family.

"There they are." Steve was the first to spot them. Bruce and the kids had only gotten about a quarter of the way through the long line.

Upon seeing them, Tony realized without a doubt that he'd made the right decision to meet his discomfort head on in order to be with his husband and kids. Bruce's profile was beautiful and smiling as he held Peter who was giggling wildly as Clint amused him. And Jake was talking to a little girl about the same age who was just in front of them in line.

"Oh," Bruce was startled when they ducked under the rope to join them. "Everything okay?" He glanced between them.

"I decided I want to take one more picture after all," Steve announced.

Bruce blinked in surprise and looked at Tony suspiciously. "All his idea," Tony confirmed.

"Oh." Bruce's surprise turned into a pleased smile. "Well, you know Santa won't mind another kid."

"Hey, there, Peter," Tony shifted his attention to his youngest and the almost-one-year-old reached for him. "Oh, come here," he cooed. "Let's give daddy's arms a rest, yeah? You've got two chauffeurs at your service, Petey boy."

Tony pulled Peter into his arms and hoisted him up and down a few times while he squealed with delight. When he finally held him normally, he noticed Bruce giving him a strange look.

"My arms thank you," Bruce said in a playful tone, but Tony knew that wasn't what was on his mind. “But they should be good in a few minutes if you want to duck out again," he then offered and Tony's lips pulled upward into a smile.

"Or I could hold him until we get to Santa," Tony replied casually.

"I appreciate the help," Bruce said in an uncertain tone, "but I can handle it. Honest. You don't have to stick around that long."

"Of course I do," Tony continued his ruse. He met his husband's scrutinizing gaze. "How else am I supposed to get in on the picture with you and Peter?"

Bruce's eyes widened. "You mean... Are you sure?"

Tony looked down at Peter and then the kids before looking back at Bruce. "I'm absolutely sure." A smile spread slowly across Bruce's face in response. Tony reached over the top of Peter's head until his own smile was nearer to it. "Just like I'm absolutely sure I love you."

"Good. That's good." Bruce bridged the small gap between them and kissed him sweetly. "Because incidentally, I love you too."

**Author's Note:**

> I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season regardless of what or how you celebrate, if you do at all.
> 
> I haven't had much time to write in recent months and I'm sad that I couldn't celebrate properly with Bruce and Tony Christmas themes stuff, but I wanted to write at least something.
> 
> Next on the list, chapter three of Carrier is about 90% finished so I hoping to update that sometime around the new year.


End file.
